Tough Tarot Topics: Racism
When part of any community, especially one revolving around Tarot and Divination, I think it is important to understand that there are often injustices that are not talked about that affect a lot of people. Being a queer person of color, I am passionate in regards to the issues of race, representation and how we all can come together to make our shared spaces better. I have had a difficult time finding a safe and inclusive space for myself for the longest time. Many groups and communities in the Tarot world emphasize on a certain aspect of what is okay and acceptable, without addressing other views and perspectives. The premise of this post is to shed some light on some of the realities of oppression, injustice, and racism that I have faced as a person of color in the Tarot Community and to open a dialogue with all of you. When I speak of the Tarot community I am addressing both online and in-person communities. I do understand that there are those who wish to not be associated with any one tarot community or a community at all and it is not my intention to codify the different communities within Tarot or to stick you in a group that you donât wish to be a part of. However, this does not negate the racism that I have faced amongst Tarot readers, my Tarot peers, Tarot mentors and Tarot seekers both online and in person. The more we try to look the other way or distance ourselves from the realities of racism within this community, the more powerful its effects become. I am a firm believer that in order to be part of a community that is welcoming and safe for all involved, blaming those who have been a victim of racism is not conducive to the growth of any community. As people, we are co-creators of this shared space by our actions or lack of action. Â In the bottom of this post, I have included an important links section for those who are interested in educating themselves on how to be an Ally. I would love it if you all checked those out as well.
The post will cover my experiences. This will not be an exhaustive list by any means but will include a few examples that have stuck with me throughout the years. This post is not meant to assume what your experience is, nor is this post meant to suggest that your experience should mirror my own or that your experience is invalid or trivial if different from mine. I am speaking from the perspective of a queer person of color and the experiences I have witnessed and endured first hand. It is my greatest intention to present my experiences, opinions, and calls to action in a reasonable manner. I am not trying to spread hate, cause drama or destroy the idea of community within this post. I, however, do not believe that we as people should sit back and be silent on injustices that bother us or go unnoticed and unmentioned. I want to bring awareness and for others to understand that this shared space should be safe for all involved. I believe we should all feel safe and welcome and to be completely honest, I havenât always felt that way. I believe that as a person of color, if I am not allowed to comment on racist behavior within this community or even allow for critic, criticism or even the simple fact of sharing my experiences, then this isnât a place that can be represented by everyone involved. How can we speak about becoming better and addressing these issues if we canât voice our concerns, our hurts, and frustrations without being attacked for it? I do not think anyone should feel threatened by the shared space they are part of. I do not think anyone should feel uncomfortable. I do not think racist acts should be ignored, silenced or tolerated. Tarot readers of color should not be forced to choose between silence and safety.
When I was eighteen, I was homeless and needed a way to support myself and survive. I ended up applying to work at a local metaphysical shop in my area. I was called for an interview and quickly got the job. I was excited because the owners were two respected Tarot readers in the area for over a decade. Â The shop was divided into various sections and during my training, I was taught to market the âAfricanâ and âexoticâ products to people. I quickly learned that I was the token brown person working at the shop. They didnât want me selling the African products because I was more knowledgeable about them, but because I was a person of color, and that small fact would help with the selling process. I bit my tongue and silenced my qualms because I needed to survive. I bit my tongue begrudgingly for five months. When there was an opening for a reader position in the shop, I quickly applied. The same people, who I had been working with for five months prior, asked me if I would dress in a âshamanâ costume to sell my readings and drive traffic to the shop. It was at that point where I realized the agenda of the shop owners was never going to change, despite my many attempts at speaking on cultural appropriation and racist behavior during my time working there. I refused and gave my two weeks notice that same day.
During the summer months here in New York, I read at various fairs, flea markets, and events. It was one such event where a group of readers decided to do an hour long donation based reading marathon for charity. How it would work is potential clients would form a line and each reader would take one client each. When one reader was finished, the next client in line would go to their table and receive a reading. During this event, I was done with a client and the next lady who was to sit at my table started making a fuss. She looked at me and my table and said âI donât want that deck⊠That black deck. Do you have a normal deck?â I was stunned at what was happening. The deck I had in question was the African American Tarot. It was and still is one of my favorite decks and one that I read for a majority of my clients with. I explained calmly that this deck was indeed a ânormalâ deck. She calls over one of the event coordinators and explains her situation and he turns to me and looks me straight in the face and asks âWell canât you use another deck for her?â It was the only deck I brought with me that day. It was the deck that finally helped me to understand Tarot. I was appalled. What hurt me, even more, was that I was amongst a group of readers, readers who claimed empathy, understanding and doing what was right by others and yet while this woman was making a huge scene and being racist, not one person stopped to say how wrong she was or to speak up in my defense. That experience has traumatized me and I do events less frequently now because of it.
During my early years of Tarot study, I would frequent tarot classes in my area to try to seek community. The Tarot courses I would attend were predominately white. In one such class, I was told that my excitement and enthusiastic nature for the course was aggressive and obnoxious. I was belittled by teachers and my tarot peers because my way of doing Tarot and how it applied to my personal narrative as a queer person of color didnât affect them in the same light, therefore my way of doing things was always considered wrong or ânot the norm.â When I spoke about creating a deck of all people of color, I was mocked and ridiculed by my teachers saying that Iâd never be able to pull it off, let alone sell a deck like that. It was discouraging and tainted how I viewed my Tarot journey. I wanted to leave the Tarot class, but I almost felt ashamed if I didnât finish. Almost like Iâd be proving that they were right about me. I endured the abuse that was given to me until my paid classes were over. Because of this, I struggled with trying to resonate the Tarot in my life for so long because I always doubted if my experiences were indeed valid or not.
Something that I deal with on a constant basis even now is being followed at any metaphysical shop or witchy shop that I enter. Whenever I go to purchase decks, I am always asked by the owner or person working if they can take my items and bring them to the front for me, yet everyone else is able to browse the shop with products in hand until they are ready to check out. It gets to the point where I am extremely uncomfortable being followed and watch with these types of microaggressions others are exhibiting towards me that my anxiety ends up getting the best of me and I put everything back that I was going to originally purchase and leave.
I have had both reading clients and Tarot peers tell me âYou do not act like a normal black person. You are so intelligent.â Itâs almost like they think by saying that I should  respond with a âThank you and smile.â What they donât realize is what they are saying is indeed racist.
When I expressed my frustration and sadness in regards to the limited representation and inclusiveness for queer people of color in Tarot decks I was told by my Tarot peers âBut there are so many animal themed decks for you to choose from that donât feature people at all. Why not use those?â or âThatâs such a niche type of deck. Most major companies wonât sell those.â What my Tarot peers were essentially telling me was that I should stop complaining about the lack of representation and instead be grateful for what is available for me instead, regardless if it doesnât resonate with me or not.
I have been excluded from forums and group discussions amongst my Tarot peers. When I brought up topics like inclusivity and wanting to share the conversation with people of color too, I was met with aggression and hostility and showed that that particular space was not conducive to have an outlet for people of color to join and shed light on their feelings or beliefs, leaving for only half of the conversation to be addressed. When I addressed my concerns for a Tarot school not having a single brown person or person of color in their staff of teachers but still claiming to be a safe and inclusive space for everyone, I was met with the same hostility.
Iâve had my Tarot practices demonized both online and in person because I use parts of my culture and heritage such as bone reading and reverence to my ancestors alongside my Tarot practice.
This is not an exhaustive list by any means. I believe that the things that I mention henceforth should be starting points and things to consider, tailored and expanded upon. I am in no way, shape or form intending to speak for anyone else or everyone else. These are just some examples of how I believe we as a community can start doing better. Your ways may be different from my own and that is okay.
I think as a community we should allow the voices of people of color to be heard. We should listen when a person of color says that something is making them uncomfortable or if an experience they had with racism and oppression within the Tarot and Divination community greatly affected them instead of trying to silence it.
We should acknowledge that having a community that is safe for all people involved should stem from a place of inclusiveness and awareness.
We should handle community issues such as racism in such a way that does not warrant more hate and discrimination. We can all come together and talk both privately and openly without group attacks, hate mail, death threats and passive aggressive posts. Also, I think itâs important to note that when a person of color addresses issues such as racism, to not automatically take it as a personal attack and let ego take control. Â No one should be threatened, isolated, attacked or shunned for voicing their concerns and shedding light on their experiences.
Ensure that the community is a safe place for everyone involved including people of color. Â No one should have to feel uncomfortable or ignored when speaking their truth. No one should be made to feel ashamed for wanting more representation and inclusiveness. Â No oneâs discomforts should be ignored or mocked.
Acknowledge that sometimes creating safe spaces isnât enough and that being a trustworthy individual is another large factor that needs to fit into the equation. Creating a safe atmosphere for people of color and being a trustworthy individual that has the best interest for people of color are not automatically mutually exclusive yet are both two important sides to the coin.
It is my greatest hope that this post brings awareness to an issue that is not often talked about in this community. I understand that this issue will not be resolved overnight and Iâd be naive to think so. I do however believe that there is strength in numbers and if we choose what is right and come together in solidarity and address this head on, we can start some progress. This is my truth and I hope we can all come together and support one another and open this dialogue in a productive way.
Post Notes:
Please do not remove the captions.
Safe Space Tags: Long Post, Racism, Oppression, Discrimination
Disclaimer: The premise of this post is to shed some light on some of the realities of oppression, injustice, and racism that I have faced as a person of color in the Tarot Community and to open a dialogue with all of you. This post is not meant to offend anyone and if I have done so, I completely apologize. As mentioned above, When I speak of the Tarot community I am addressing both online and in-person communities. I do understand that there are those who wish to not be associated with any one tarot community or a community at all and it is not my intention to codify the different communities within Tarot or to stick you in a group that you donât wish to be a part of. However, this does not negate the racism that I have faced amongst Tarot readers, my Tarot peers, Tarot mentors and Tarot seekers both online and in person.
Important Links: One | Two | Three
Navigation: Table Of Contents | FAQ | Contact me
